Museum hires archaeology curator

The USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum has hired Timothy Riley as the new Curator of Archaeology.

He comes from Texas A&M University, where he was an adjunct professor in the Department of Anthropology.

He received his Ph.D. in 2010 for his work on the diet of ancient Native Americans who lived in Hinds Cave along the Pecos River.

Riley's archaeological fieldwork is extensive, having participated in a variety of projects throughout the Mid- and Southwest. Most of his research centers on the role of ancient human cultures in their ecosystem, especially farming.

His work on the diets of ancient peoples is based on fossil pollen and food traces within cooking pots, as well as fossilized feces. He has also been involved in the analysis of stone tools, animal remains and pottery.

Riley has published his dietary research in the Journal of Archaeological Science.